Storm Darragh brings chaos with trains cancelled and thousands left without power as dire map shows where more than 200 flood alerts are in place
By AIDAN RADNEDGE[1] and MILO POPE[2] and DAISY GRAHAM-BROWN[3]
Published: 09:37, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 11:55, 8 December 2024
Storm Darragh is battering Britain with yet more weather chaos today as trains are cancelled and thousands of people are left without power, amid more than 200 flood alerts.
Two people have now been killed by falling trees amid 96mph gales, with warnings sent out across the country about more potential damage and dangers today.
More than 259,000 houses have lost their electricity connection as roofs were ripped up and trees were brought down across Britain following the Government's 'risk-to-life' alert.
That hazard warning came into force at 1am on Saturday for those covered by the Met Office[4]'s rare red warning for high winds - and alerts remain in place today.
Residents of the worst-hit areas in Northern Ireland[5] as well as the western coasts of Wales and England were urged to stay indoors amid fears that flying debris and falling trees could lead to fatalities.
Darragh also wreaked havoc with traffic as the Prince of Wales Bridge over the River Severn and the nearby Severn Bridge were closed, while kiosks were knocked over on the pier at Llandudno in North Wales.
Sports events across the UK and Ireland were thrown into disarray, including a Premier League[6] match between Liverpool and Everton which was axed over safety fears.
There were more travel warnings issued on Sunday morning, with Great Western Railway announcing would be no services between Plymouth and Penzance and on all Cornish branch lines until at least 4pm.
Kiosks were seen toppled on the pier at Llandudno in North Wales as Storm Darragh swept in
Tree surgeons were called on Sunday morning after this one was felled by Storm Darragh in South Kensington, west London
Rough seas are seen near the Tynemouth pier lighthouse on the River Tyne, as Storm Darragh hits the UK and Ireland
Train operators have warned of Storm Darragh-related disruption across the country - crowds of commuters are pictured here waiting for services at Euston railway station in central London
Dozens of flood warnings and more than 200 flood alerts are in place today
The Met Office forecast more difficult conditions ahead throughout Sunday
After the second confirmed death, West Midlands Police said they were called to Silver Birch Road in the Birmingham[7] district of Erdington, just after 3pm yesterday, following reports that a tree had fallen and hit a car as a result of the storm conditions.
Sgt Benjamin Parsons, of the force's Roads Policing Unit, said: 'Our thoughts are with the man's family at this time, and his next of kin have been informed.
'A report will be passed onto the coroner. Anyone who saw what happened or who may have dashcam or mobile phone footage, is asked to please get in touch.'
This comes after another man, in his 40s, died earlier on Saturday morning after a tree fell on his van in Lancashire.
The man was driving his Citroen vehicle on the A59 at Longton, near Preston, at about 9am, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Det Sgt Matt Davidson, from Lancashire Police[8]'s serious collision investigation unit, said: 'Very sadly, this incident has resulted in the death of a man and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.
'An investigation is ongoing, and I would appeal to anyone who saw what happened or has any dashcam or mobile phone footage to please get in touch.'
Meanwhile, a tree has blocked the Gatwick[9] Express line and the National Rail has warned passengers to not even bother travelling between London[10] St Pancras and Luton 'until further notice'.
Flooded buildings next to the River Wye in Hereford, after Storm Darragh hit the UK and Ireland
Passers-by brave the conditions next to the rising River Wye in Hereford today
The remains of a tree blow over in Storm Darragh across a public footpath in Datchet, Berkshire
High water levels are seen on the River Wye in Hereford which has burst its banks
Floodwater is pictured rising up next to buildings alongside the River Wye in Hereford today
More bad weather is expected today as Storm Darragh batters Britain - people are pictured taking precautions under downpours in Westminster, central London
They carried out their work on Sunday morning as weather warnings were issued across the UK
A man has died after his car was hit by a falling tree in the Birmingham district of Erdington during strong Storm Darragh - emergency services are pictured at the scene
The crash which killed a man in Birmingham on Saturday occurred on Sutton Road in the Erdington area
BURNHAM-ON-SEA: A tree narrowly misses a house after being blown over in Storm Darragh on Oxford Street in Burnham-on-Sea
Storm name linked to history, celebrity and now... calamity
It's the name currently linked with high winds and destruction, but Darragh is not just a title for a weather system. It derives from the Old Irish word for oak, and is a common name in Ireland.
There, 195 newborns were called Darragh last year, making it the 26th most popular name for boys.
Famous people called Darragh include ITV's The Chase's Darragh Ennis and writer and children's TV star Darragh Mortell.
A popular variation of the name is Dara - with probably the best-known example being the comedian and TV presenter Dara O Briain.
In a 7th century epic from Irish mythology, The Cattle Raid of Cooley, it appears in its original form of Daire.
Storm Darragh is the fourth named storm this winter, following Storm Ashley, which struck in October, and Storms Bert and Conall, which blew in during late November.
Storm names are assigned by the Met Office and its Irish counterpart, Met Eireann.
The first was Storm Abigail, which coated Scotland in snow and left more than 20,000 properties without power in November 2015.
But calling this weekend's bad weather Storm Darragh would probably lead to puzzled looks in Germany - because there it is known as Storm Xaveria.
AdvertisementGWR also told passengers to avoid routes between Cardiff and Swansea until 12noon at the earliest, while following up the cancellation of Bath Christmas Market yesterday by urging people not to reach it by rail today.
Northern Ireland was exposed to wind gusts of up to 80mph overnight, while a fresh yellow Met Office wind warning came into force across much of England and Wales at 6am.
More widely there are likely to be gusts of 35-45mph inland, even reaching 70mph around coasts during the morning.
It means that further travel disruption and power cuts are likely until 6pm, the Met Office said.
Storm Darragh brought gusts of 93mph to some parts of the country on Saturday, with millions warned to stay indoors, tens of thousands left without power and trains cancelled.
National Rail said disruption was expected through Tottenham Hale in north London.
National Highways said the M48 at Severn Bridge was closed in both directions between J1 and J2 until at least midday.
Wightlink said the 8am car ferry sailing from Portsmouth and 9am from Fishbourne were cancelled, along with the 7.15am and 8.15am Fastcat services from Portsmouth Harbour and the 7.45am and 8.45am services from Ryde Pier Head.
The Met Office said heavy rain was expected to persist in central and eastern parts of England throughout Sunday, with 20-25mm forecast to fall across much of the country.
As much as 60mm could fall over high ground of the Cheviots, Pennines and North York Moors.
In Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, a large tree was uprooted and blown on to houses, while just along the coast at Weston-super-Mare huge waves crashed against the sea defences, threatening sightseers.
At Birmingham Airport, pilots struggled to land and take off in 60mph crosswinds, and Cardiff Airport was forced to close its runway for most of the morning.
WALES: High winds ripped the roof off Pentre Baptist Church in the tiny settlement of Mochdre
LLANDUDNO: Llandudno's pier took a battering with kiosks ripped from their positions and thrown across the pier against another kiosk
NORTHERN IRELAND: An Airport bus has crashed into a property on the Ballyrobin Road near Antrim in Northern Ireland
Several British Airways flights to and from Heathrow, Paris, the United States and the Netherlands were also cancelled.
Meanwhile, tourist attraction Llandudno Pier in North Wales was battered by winds of 93mph, which destroyed parts of the historic structure.
Paul Williams, general manager of the pier, said it may cost GBP250,000 to repair the damage, adding: 'Overnight, one of the kiosks, one of the original ones, which is roughly 148 years old, was ripped up.
'It's the first time in its history that it has been tipped to one side.
'The ice cream stand at the end of the pier has been ripped up and it went into the sea, and there are about 1,000 pieces washed up on the other side of the bay. The roof has come off the toilet and there's real fear that we'll potentially lose the bar and cafe down the end as well.
'We may have to look at the pier not reopening for a considerable amount of time.'
The Energy Networks Association has said that 177,000 homes in England, Scotland and Wales were without power, but that around 768,000 customers had been reconnected since the storm hit, with more than 1,000 engineers deployed.
Millions of Britons were sent emergency alerts to their mobile phones in what was the largest use of the warning system yet, urging residents to avoid driving and to 'stay indoors if you can'.
PENARTH: A person stands next to a car damaged by a fallen tree, after Storm Darragh hit the country in Penarth, Wales
The Met Office issued yellow and amber warnings across Britain on Saturday
PENARTH: A view shows a damaged car, after Storm Darragh hit the country in Penarth, Wales
NORTHERN IRELAND: A huge tree blocks the slip road to the M1 to Belfast in Ballycare
BLACKPOOL: People run in front of The Blackpool Tower after Storm Darragh hit the country
SWANSEA: Waves crash into the Mumbles headland near Swansea as Storm Darragh makes its presence felt across the UK
LLANDUDNO: Huts on Llandudno pier - a major tourist attraction - were damaged in the storm
BURNHAM-ON-SEA: Contractors work to clear a tree that has fallen on properties following last night's storm winds in Burnham-on-Sea
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds described the storm as a 'challenging situation', adding: 'About 3million homes will have had the emergency alert system to their mobile phone. I would just encourage anyone who has had that to follow the advice.'
On Sunday morning there were 65 flood warnings and 149 flood alerts in place in England, plus 25 flood warnings in Wales, with the Environment Agency warning people not to drive through flood water and to avoid from swollen rivers and coastal paths.
It added: 'Heavy rain may cause flash flooding.
It's important you know how to prepare.'
The Met Office's red weather warning for wind - its most serious - has caused the cancellation of events this weekend, including Christmas attractions, and the closure of all royal parks.
Energy Networks Association said 259,000 customers across England, Scotland and Wales were without power as of Saturday evening, adding that 80 per cent of homes affected by the storm had been reconnected.
Northern IrelandWales[11][12]References
- ^ AIDAN RADNEDGE (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ MILO POPE (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ DAISY GRAHAM-BROWN (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Met Office (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Northern Ireland (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Premier League (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Lancashire Police (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Gatwick (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Northern Ireland (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Wales (www.dailymail.co.uk)